ODBC obscuring the SQL result ?

Hi (again),

Im doing a 

   $res = odbc_prepare    ... with a select statement

and

   $succ =  odbc_execute($res)

im missing how to get the return information on whether I got any hit or not in the table 

now !! the REF MAN  is clearly sloppy;  

in writing moment i see that $succ is a boolean  (which is undefined about what is meant by success, retreiving ZERO rows is a success ? guess so)

HOWEVER the sloppy thing comes with the REF MAN not explicitly saying that $res is not only the connecting from prepare but
 also "output" from the execution activity !!

is that so ?